 | I am deeply in love with Paladin’s Strength, the tale of two colossal people navigating a short-person’s world, told with warmth and wry humor. Our main characters are: Clara, a lay nun of the convent of Saint Ursa, trying to find and rescue her kidnapped sisters. Istvhan, a former paladin of the Saint of Steel god, posing as a mercenary captain escorting oak barrels to a distant city. They meet after Istvhan kills a local boy in an unavoidable duel. Clara, who was rescued by the locals after being left for dead, is given to Istvhan (along with a sword) as forfeit from the dead boy’s family. |
The author makes excellent use of the characters' large size. They jam themselves into short beds and sit at low tables with their knees at their shoulders, and are always grateful for open spaces:
Istvahn straightened up with a sigh of relief and felt the vertebrae in his neck crackle.
Istvahn straightened up with a sigh of relief and felt the vertebrae in his neck crackle.
 | Handsome Istvhan is sensitive to the effect his large size has on others, particularly women: The larger part of power was understanding the power you had over others, even if you would rather not have that much power in the first place. . . . And so, he went to great pains to be a courteous, polite lover. When he flirted, he made absolutely sure that the other party was just as interested as he was. He did not ever want to see fear in a woman’s eyes. |
The prose is straightforward and engaging, yet with deeply immersive moments:
- Banked firelight left orange splashes across her skin, and the shadows of the wheels were edged in purple.
- She had never been in a city this size before and the smells and the sounds formed a multi-layered din that left her squinting, despite it being an overcast day.
The exploration of gender roles is especially delightful. We soon learn that big, strong Istvhan accepted this assignment in part to escape a voracious female lover:
 | [She] had nearly run him into the ground [and] he’d been looking forward to a few months of celibacy to recuperate. . . . He had taken the assignment to the north with a sense of relief, and not just because he was having a hard time keeping up with her. . . . He’d been worn to a shadow. Human flesh could only take so much.” Istvahn reminiscing: His old sword-master would have groaned to see how he was gripping [the stave], but she would also have been the first to admit you worked with what you had. Istvhan expressing admiration: Clara walked like she was taller than everyone else and knew it and if anyone cared, be damned to them. As someone else built to a different scale than the rest of the world, he admired that. |
Though our two main characters are mostly heterosexual, this is not a restrictive world:
Clara did wish occasionally that she was the sort of woman who could love another woman as more than a sister. . . . Sister Rose and the Sister Apothecary, for example, had been devoted to each other for over a decade.
Istvhan describes the character Galen when he smiles at Clara:
Istvhan knew that smile meant absolutely nothing but friendship--Galen had definite tastes and they did not run to women--
Clara mentioning a transgendered man:
“One of us lived as a brother, but he was very old when I was a novice and he had the same parts as the rest of us.”
Clara did wish occasionally that she was the sort of woman who could love another woman as more than a sister. . . . Sister Rose and the Sister Apothecary, for example, had been devoted to each other for over a decade.
Istvhan describes the character Galen when he smiles at Clara:
Istvhan knew that smile meant absolutely nothing but friendship--Galen had definite tastes and they did not run to women--
Clara mentioning a transgendered man:
“One of us lived as a brother, but he was very old when I was a novice and he had the same parts as the rest of us.”
 | The book also touches on meaningful themes, such as theology when Clara speaks about her relationship with Saint Ursa: “I talk to Her in my head. I pray. If I didn’t have Her, I suspect I’d pray to someone else. Perhaps She’s just the name I put on that which I pray to, and it’s easier to picture the divine as someone who understands [me].” |
And ruminating on old emotional pain:
You learned better and you got on with things. You learned that you were what you were, and tried to be the best version of that person, because you were never going to be anybody else. And you stopped envying other people because everyone had problems you didn’t know about.
You learned better and you got on with things. You learned that you were what you were, and tried to be the best version of that person, because you were never going to be anybody else. And you stopped envying other people because everyone had problems you didn’t know about.
 | Istvhan’s take on friendship: “. . . we love our friends enough not to put them in situations where they will be called upon to do things that they cannot do.” Him reassuring Clara: “You are not a failure, you know,” he said, “simply because you can’t endure something unendurable.” |
I laughed out loud many times reading this novel.
* Here is Istvhan feeling tempted:
Paladins were famous for resisting temptations, but life was a lot easier when temptation kept at least ten feet away and only offered easy things, like wealth and vengeance and earthly dominion.
* Istvahn and Clara trading quips:
“Nuns are sadists,” he muttered. “I always knew it.”
“And paladins are martyrs.”
* Istvahn gets an earful from an elder:
“I do appreciate your advice, sir,” said Istvahn. Politely.
“No, you don’t,” said Doc Mason. “The young never do.”
* Istvhan being self-conscious:
He walked up to the tree, trying to look harmless and good-natured and also sexy, which was a complicated thing to convey. He wasn't sure what to do with his hips.
* Here is Istvhan feeling tempted:
Paladins were famous for resisting temptations, but life was a lot easier when temptation kept at least ten feet away and only offered easy things, like wealth and vengeance and earthly dominion.
* Istvahn and Clara trading quips:
“Nuns are sadists,” he muttered. “I always knew it.”
“And paladins are martyrs.”
* Istvahn gets an earful from an elder:
“I do appreciate your advice, sir,” said Istvahn. Politely.
“No, you don’t,” said Doc Mason. “The young never do.”
* Istvhan being self-conscious:
He walked up to the tree, trying to look harmless and good-natured and also sexy, which was a complicated thing to convey. He wasn't sure what to do with his hips.
Suspense and tension build throughout the novel, delivering an exciting climax in which both main characters give their all despite being discouraged or terrified much of the time. Without giving away spoilers, I will say Clara’s connection with her saint is especially intriguing. I felt deeply bonded to both main characters, rooting for them to triumph against the world and with each other.
Paladin’s Strength is a mature romantic-fantasy, but it’s also a sword and sorcery adventure, a fantasy-mystery, and a well-written yarn that held me close from start to finish. Highly recommended.
Paladin’s Strength is a mature romantic-fantasy, but it’s also a sword and sorcery adventure, a fantasy-mystery, and a well-written yarn that held me close from start to finish. Highly recommended.
Read more fabulous fiction by T. Kingfisher:
Paladin’s Grace, Swordheart, Thornhedge, Hemlock & Silver, What Moves the Dead
Read other fantasy-mystery:
The Tainted Cup, A Drop of Corruption, City of Stairs
Read other romantic-fantasy:
Best New Romantic Fantasy, The Unspoken Name, Fire Logic, The Everlasting
Paladin’s Grace, Swordheart, Thornhedge, Hemlock & Silver, What Moves the Dead
Read other fantasy-mystery:
The Tainted Cup, A Drop of Corruption, City of Stairs
Read other romantic-fantasy:
Best New Romantic Fantasy, The Unspoken Name, Fire Logic, The Everlasting
